Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

We had a great time with our guide who had grown up in San Jose and knew it well. We enjoyed learning about the food and the way various dishes had got their names. We had a good tour of major landmarks in San Jose, while learning both history and current culture. The meal was fantastic -excellent service and food presentation that was very much Costa Rican but with a modern touch.

Ms. Carolyn H., Canada - 05 May 2018

Guide was very friendly and knowledgeable of the Costa Rica area, history and culture. Would recommend this tour to friends.

Mr. Lehman V., Canada - 26 Jan 2017

Different meeting locations given by web site confirmation and local operations leader (CR Green adventures), the one block difference created confusion. The description of this tour (San Jose Evening Tour with Dinner in Escazú) when you find this tour through Trip advisor is different than on Urban Adventures. One of these descriptions should go away.

Mr. Rob P., USA - 07 Jan 2017

Tour snapshot

Wine.

Oh, we need to say more?

Alright, well, there’s also a ton of culture and history, a tasty local dinner, and the chance to experience San Jose’s nightlife with a local. Best. Night. Ever.

Highlights

Experience San Jose by night with a local to guide the way

Explore markets, significant city buildings, and local neighbourhoods

Immerse yourself in the culture and history of the city

Indulge in a tasty local menu filled with authentic local ingredients

Sip expertly selected wine pairings as you dine

Inclusions: Local English speaking guide, transportation from San Jose to the restaurant, three glasses of wine, dinner.

Exclusions: Transportation to and from the meeting point and end point is not included. Also not included are additional food and drink beyond what is specified above, items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for your guide.

Schedule details

Duration: 4 hours

Meeting point:

Central Market the entrance by Walking Central Avenue South East Corner Street number 6, San Jose.

Starting time: 4.00 PM

Ending point:

Guachipelin de Escazu Multiplaza, by the taxi station

FULL ITINERARY

Explore San Jose by night, complete with local markets, cultural icons, and a tasty dinner with wine pairings – that’s your evening sorted!

Get up close and personal with the nightlife in San Jose, starting with the Central Market, which, in our opinion, is the only way to learn about the city’s food (aside from eating it, which we’ll get to!). Stroll the market with your local guide and get to know the secrets and uses of the roots, herbs, and fruit common in local cuisines, including ingredients that will play a role in your authentic Costa Rican dinner later. The locals say that you can get anything you need at the Central Market, even love potions for attracting a boyfriend or girlfriend…wink.

After the market, we’ll make our way down Central Avenue, enjoying a trip down San Jose’s memory lane, learning about the city’s history and anecdotes, as well as visiting one of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in San Jose, the National Theatre.

From there, our appreciation for San Jose’s historical architecture continues, with a walk through Morazan Park to enjoy the Metallic Building, then on to Spain Park for a fantastic view of the Yellow House (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

We’ll continue to charming Barrio Amon, one the oldest neighborhoods in San Jose. Designed by Amon Fasileau, a Frenchman who settled in the area, it has become one of the most scenic parts of the city, boasting a rich, architectural history.

We’ll be spending the rest of the evening at a favorite local restaurant that specializes in wine and gourmet food. This cosy establishment offers the best in Costa Rican cuisine, a unique space that offers art, culture and history as well as fine dining. The view from the terrace is like looking out onto an open-air museum, where 1930s architecture fuses with modern builds which infuses this delightful neighbourhood its eclectic charm.

Between your tasty three course meal, and wines that go down a treat, you’ll be ending the evening in fine fashion, feeling every bit the San Jose local.

Your local guide will be happy to provide suggestions on where to head to next, but if not, they can assist you with getting a taxi back to your accommodation.

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English speaking guide, transportation from San Jose to the restaurant, three glasses of wine, dinner.

Exclusions: Transportation to and from the meeting point and end point is not included. Also not included are additional food and drink beyond what is specified above, items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for your guide.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: This tour fits perfectly with the morning Cartago Train Tour, so you can do both in the same day, if you wish!

Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.

Local contact

Traveller rating

Excellent

(8)

Very good

(5)

Average

(0)

Poor

(0)

Terrible

(0)

Rating summary

Overall experience

Guide

Local learning

Responsible travel

Met expectations

Ms. Carolyn H. from Canada travelled on 05 May 2018

We had a great time with our guide who had grown up in San Jose and knew it well. We enjoyed learning about the food and the way various dishes had got their names. We had a good tour of major landmarks in San Jose, while learning both history and current culture. The meal was fantastic -excellent service and food presentation that was very much Costa Rican but with a modern touch.

Mr. Lehman V. from Canada travelled on 26 Jan 2017

Guide was very friendly and knowledgeable of the Costa Rica area, history and culture. Would recommend this tour to friends.

Mr. Rob P. from USA travelled on 07 Jan 2017

Different meeting locations given by web site confirmation and local operations leader (CR Green adventures), the one block difference created confusion. The description of this tour (San Jose Evening Tour with Dinner in Escazú) when you find this tour through Trip advisor is different than on Urban Adventures. One of these descriptions should go away.

Ms. Kristi R. from USA travelled on 02 Jan 2017

My guide was AWESOME! He was very knowledgable about the area and he was able to answer difficult questions from a guest that was extremely annoying and was clearly trying to "stump him". Kudos to our guide for having a terrific attitude while having to deal with an annoying person. I was also able to book this last minute after deciding that I wanted something to do that night. The local office in San Juan was terrific! They were able to fit me in and they gave me excellent instructions.

Mr. Juliana G. from USA travelled on 30 Dec 2016

Everything was great. Marion was awesome! The only problem was that it is difficult to find the meeting spot without a definitive landmark in an unfamiliar city/country.

Mrs. Lauren S. from USA travelled on 23 Jun 2016

This was an incredible tour. I would have missed so much about his overwhelming city had we skipped it!

Mrs. Kelli W. from USA travelled on 30 May 2016

This tour exceeded our expectations and was made most memorable by our guide Jurgen, and our driver, Marco. I have a disability and special accommodations needed to be made for me to access the van for the tour. These two gentleman worked very hard to locate a step stool for me access the van, and treated me with dignity and respect. My husband and I were very pleased with the level of service we received and our knowledgeable tour guide.

Ms. Cally T. from Australia travelled on 02 Feb 2016

I had a wonderful time on my San Jose by Night Tour led by Eric. He had a wealth of knowledge and was keen to show me all San Jose had to offer and he did. This tour was a great way to be introduced to the and experience the City.